That's high praise coming from the former editor in chief of NYC-based The New Yorker and Vanity Fair. Many New Yorkers consider CoMo mere "flyover country." It's also a major step up. Columbia was America's 16th Smartest College Town, The Daily Beast reported last year.

Lawrence, Ks. does not appear on the Smart List. And though I'm no expert on the SEC athletic conference, the only SEC city on the list appears to be Gainesville, Fla.

"Tigers play Smart!" could be a new logo.

Important caveat, however: Sports don't contribute as much to the smarts list as, say, the Mizzou Press. In light of this major new kudo, you might want to reconsider shutting that baby down, eh president Wolfe?

It is, after all, former New Yorker editor Tina Brown behind the CoMo nod.